Insyte: Shadowed Path
by SparkofLeaves
Summary: A young Eevee is found on the streets of Celadon City and adopted into Slick's team. Follow Insyte as he learns to explore life and all that it has to offer, wandering a jagged path of fire and shadow. (Currently in rewrite)
1. (RV) On The Streets

An Espeon and an Umbreon padded through the empty streets of Celadon, their paws weary and exhausted. They looked at each other sorrowfully, and then glanced towards the base of the pedastal in the sleeping city's plaza.

There, they had laid a young infant Eevee, its eyes still closed, the ears still curled down over its face. The Umbreon trembled with hesitation as he looked down at the quivering bundle of fur that was his son, his rose-red eyes clouded in grief. "Are you sure this is the right thing to do, Solus?" whispered the Umbreon. "Is it right to fight destiny?"

Solus closed her eyes as she secured the makeshift collar on the Eevee's neck. "It's the only thing that we can do, Lunus," said the Espeon wearily, her head low. "The Vulcanites... they will tear him apart if they find him. And we must not forget the warnings from the sky... When he becomes fire, he will turn upon us. He must never go through such things..."

"I... I don't know if this is the right choice anymore," said Lunus, his golden rings flickering. "We can't hide from destiny forever. Sooner or later, the two of us will will have to answer for what we've done tonight..."

* * *

**Chapter 1: On the Streets**

* * *

"Kip kip, mud-mud kip," said the Mudkip, shaking his head with mock disappointment as he followed his trainer out of the diner and onto the cobblestone street, glancing back inside to a girl with a yellow skirt and a white blouse. "Mud mud. Kip kip kip, mud mud, kip kip mud, mud kip!"

Shrugging, fourteen-year-old Slick zipped up his jacket and scanned the darkened street for the oncoming headlights of approaching cars. "I don't think exchanging numbers would've been a good idea," said the trainer, glancing down to his Pokemon with a small smile. "I mean, her dad was standing there, watching us."

The Mudkip grinned as they crossed the street, trotting down the sidewalk towards the hotel where Slick was staying. "Kip-kip kip kip, mud mud kip," said Rush brightly, opening his mouth wide as if to spit a stream of water. "Mud mud kip! Kip mud, kip mud ki-i-ip." The Mudkip tugged at his cheeks, giving his best 'love-face' imitation.

The evening breeze was cool on Slick's face, a refreshing change from summer, but not quite winter. "Seriously, though, her dad might've been with one of the gangs around here," said the trainer as they reached a street corner, crouching down so that Rush could hop up into his arms. "Besides, it's getting late, and I doubt we'd run into each other again."

From the corner of Slick's elbow, the Mudkip stared at the city's casino standing on the far corner of the intersection, neon lights flashing in the dark like a swarm of Volbeats. "Mud mud kip?" asked Rush, his voice growing quiet, glancing up at his trainer as they passed black graffiti on the wall. "Kip kip, kip mud mud, mud kip kip."

Slick glanced down at the ground. "I'm sure my dad'll pay off the gambling debts before anyone comes for him," said the boy softly, hugging the Mudkip close as they crossed the street and continued past the Game Corner. "Well, I guess the gangs did back off a lot..."

Up ahead in the city plaza, surrounded by park benches and wandering citizens with cigarettes, stood the bronze statues of a Trainer and his Pokemon, gazing down over the people of Celadon City. "Kip kip!" exclaimed Rush, perking up, tugging at Slick's sleeve insistently. "Kip kip, mud mud kip?"

Colored with muted metal dyes, the human statue had a red vest over a white T-shirt and standard-issue blue jeans. A baseball cap was pulled low over the trainer's eyes, a secretive smile on his face. Behind the trainer stood a Venusaur, a Blastoise, and a Charizard, all immortalized in bronze, and in the trainer's arms sat a Pikachu with proud, gleaming eyes.

"Yeah, it's him, all right," said Slick softly as he approched the statue. Squatting down, he examined the pedastal's inscription. "'In commemoration of Kanto's youngest Champion, Red Backfield and his Pokemon, who disbanded the crime syndicate Team Rocket and saved our streets from decay...'"

Slick smiled weakly. "He really is the youngest Champion, isn't he," said the trainer, glancing down at the ground. "Wasn't he... eleven when he entered the Hall of Fame? I guess he didn't need to finish school before getting his Pokemon..."

There was an awkward silence; then, Slick forced a chuckle. "Skills are skills, I guess," said the trainer, rising to his feet. "Maybe, some day, they'll make a statue of us!" The Mudkip grinned and closed his eyes as Slick's hand patted him, scratching him gently just behind the fin.

"Eee... Eeee..."

Rush and Slick exchanged glances as a pitiful whimper came from the other side of the statue, a soft, quivering whimper. At the base of the pedastal lay a miserable Eevee pup, rocking back and forth from side to side, eyes glistening with tears that soaked into its torn fur. There was a crude cardboard strip around his neck, like a handmade collar.

"I wonder what happened to him," whispered Slick. He took a Poke Ball from his belt, a finger resting on the silver button at the line where the two halves of the capsule met, then held back. "Rush, come here... Can you figure out what's going on, what he's doing here?"

The Mudkip nodded and began to examine the Eevee, but every time he touched his fur, the little Pokemon trembled and sobbed harder. Each time he tried to ask the Eevee a question, it turned its little head away. "Kip, kip-kip," said Rush, looking back up at Slick helplessly. "Kip mud. Mud-mud kip, kip kip?"

Nodding, Slick removed the cardboard collar, exposing a raw patch of skin at the back of the Eevee's neck, red and missing bits of fur. "Well crap," muttered Slick, glancing around the plaza. Whose Eevee was this? He looked at the cardboard strip to check for a makeshift tag, but found nothing. "Right... what asshole did this? I swear, if I find him, I'm gonna"

At once, Rush reached up and slapped Slick with a paw. "Kip kip!" said the Mudkip indignantly, pointing at the Eevee again, then making a slicing motion across his throat. "Kip kip mud, mud KIP kip!"

Slick sighed again and rubbed his temples. "This is getting strange," said the Trainer, shaking his head. "Still...he looks... sad and lonely... and like... I just..." He bent down and scooped the Eevee cub up into his arms. "Okay, you're right. We'll get him to a Pokemon Center." Rush smiled weakly, and the three left the plaza, hurrying towards the familiar red-and-white building at the far end of the street.

The two passed through the Pokemon Center's automatic glass doors and approached the sattendant at the counter with the infant Eevee. "Um, excuse me," said Slick nervously, setting the Eevee down on the counter. "I've got an Eevee here, and he looks bad. I don't know whose it is."

The attendant blinked. "Another one?" said the attendant, standing up and taking the Eevee from the counter. she took the Eevee over to the large healing machine against the wall, setting the infant down on one of the six glass tiles of the machine. "That's the seventeenth stray we've had all week. I'll get him some milk and tend to his wounds. Hold tight."

Nodding, Slick settled down in a chair at a glass table with Rush, staring down at his own reflection. "I'm starting to think that Celadon City's gotten overcrowded," said the attendent as she started up the healing machine. "You have to admit... there's cities in almost every corner of the earth these days..."

After some time had passed, there was a series of chimes emanating from the healing machine, a fanfare of flashing lights, and the Eevee's body glowed a brillaint white. As the healing light engulfed the Eevee's body, the attendant examined the computer connected to the healing machine. "It appears that this is a wild Eevee," said the nurse, studying the screen. "Interesting."

Blinking, Slick glanced up as the attendant took the Eevee from the healing machine and placed it on the counter. Eevees were almost impossible to find in the wild. "Since they're an endangered species, I'm afraid I'll have to register you with the Kanto Board of Wildlife Conservation if you want to keep him."

Slick hesitated as Rush hopped up onto the counter to look at the Eevee. "I can... take him with me?" said Slick, incredulous, staring at the peacefully sleeping infant Pokemon. There was something about this Eevee which endeared itself to Slick, almost begging to follow him on his journey. Its fur rippled with the pulsating lifeblood coursing deep within its body, the ears flicking in desperation even as its nose twitched with eagerness. Mystic voices echoed in Slick's ears, their words jumbled together and incomprehensible.

Slick blinked and stepped back, his senses overwhelmed. He took a slow, deep breath to clear his head, then grinned at the attendant. "I'll... I"ll take him with me," said Slick, taking his Trainer ID card from his wallet and handing it to the attendent. "Here you go."

The attendent nodded and took the ID card from Slick, handing him a form to fill out. Glancing to the cardboard collar sticking out from Rush's mouth, Slick studied the inscription for a moment, then grinned and jotted down a name for the Eevee.

The attendant turned to the terminal and swiped the card through a slot on the side of the computer, Slick's profile slowly loading on her screen. "Slick Silversky, ID #39613, age 14, graduated from Viridian Union School," said the attendant, glancing at Slick. "Is that all correct?"

"It's pronounced 'Se-vi-er-ski,' actually," said the Trainer as he finished signing the paper. "Great-grandparents came from another country, name spellings accidentally got tweaked in immigration stations. "

Hitting the enter key, the nurse took the contract to file away, then shook the Trainer's hand. "And that's it! You're all set. Take good care of him, okay?"

Slick nodded and picked up the Eevee from the counter. "Thank you, and I will," said Slick, smiling as he gazed down upon the young cub in his arms, who began to sob harder as Slick picked him up. "There, there," mumured the Trainer as he carried the Eevee outside. "It's all right... you're safe now... Insyte."


	2. (RV) Conflicted Flames

**Chapter 2: A Wayward Fire**

* * *

With his Pokemon trotting at his heels, Slick wandered into the dry yellow grasses, leaving the dirt-paved Kanto road behind. A strange feeling bubbled from the young nervous Eevee's stomach as he followed the human and the two Pokemon, mixed with excitement and fear. The tips of foxtails and grass-blades just barely touched Slick's belt as the trainer moved into the field. But to the Pokemon by his heels, the wilderness was a dense forest of rippling green stalks.

"It's a two-way road of communication," explained Rush, his head fin bobbing back and forth as Insyte padded along. "As our master, he feeds us and keeps an eye on us. And in the mean time, we do our silly tricks and follow him like on a leash."

Insyte's cream-tipped tail flicked from side to side as he kept stride with Slick and the others, his eyes darting to the Charmander on his left, whose tail-tip burned like a fiery torch. "You kidding me? He doesn't think crap about building a team," said Firaga, pausing to stretch his neck and shoulders. "Otherwise, he'd have taken Insyte to the obelisk in Viridian Forest already."

"Slick gets his advice from this one book about raising Pokemon," said the Mudkip brightly, ignoring the Charmander. "This one wasn't so battle-intensive, though; it was more of a guide for Pokemon breeders than competitive battlers. But it had a lot of good ideas, like what to feed us and such. It was written by this one guy from Hoenn, Brendan Ga- ouch!"

Rush cringed as Firaga slapped his head fin. As the Mudkip rubbed the back of his head fin with a paw, Insyte looked back at the grass that they had just passed through, swaying back into place behind him, while Slick parted the grasses ahead. "So if I do really good, then he helps me be stronger?"

In his mind's eye, he was a Flareon on an adventure, out on a mission to hunt for dangerous criminals, and Slick was his captain. He could see his enemies cowering before his mighty strength as he busted into their hideout with all his strength. As he followed after his comrades, wearing a coat of imaginary armor, Insyte shook his fluffy collar viciously at the bad guys, and opened his mouth to let out an mighty roar-

"Stop squealing, you're scaring off all the wild Pokemon," hissed Firaga, glaring back over his shoulder at the Eevee. In an instant, Insyte's fantasy vanished, quickly replaced by the tall grasses of Route 11 and an angry Charmeleon.

"S-sorry," gulped Insyte, shrinking fearfully away from the fiery lizard. "I was just... daydreaming..."

"Well, daydream more quietly, then," said Firaga irritably, turning on his heel and continuing on after Slick. Rush grinned weakly at Insyte, and then hurried after the Charmeleon and the Trainer, beckoning the Eevee to follow.

The wind rippled Insyte's fur as Rush stood in the thinning grass before the wild Pokemon, who gave off a few faint squeaks and snorts through its long snout. Off to one side stood Firaga, his arms crossed, his eyes stern. Squatting down, Slick watched as Rush and the humanoid creature circled each other, locked in a staring contest.

Resembling a pot-bellied dwarf of a human, the Pokemon's torso was wrinkled and yellow, its lower body and legs splotched with dark brown, as if coated in mud. Rush bared his teeth at the Drowzee and growled aggressively, causing his opponent to step back.

A sphere of dark-pink light formed between the Pokemon's palms as it pushed forward with both hands, sending the sphere of energy at Rush and knocking the Mudkip back a foot. "Hang in there, Rush," said Slick, watching the Mudkip hop back to his place. "Give him a good mud-slap!"

"Kip!" yelled Rush as he dashed a paw against a patch of mud nearby and launched himself at the Drowzee, striking the Pokemon across the face with the muddy paw. The Drowzee stumbled back, its eyes bulging for the slightest moment as Rush struck him.

It glared at Rush and Slick and gave a deep phlegmish cough. Insyte shuddered in disgust as a thick green-and-purple haze billowed out from the Drowzee's snout and began to fill the air. Coughing and sputtering in the poison-gas attack, Rush's face began to take on a sickly greenish tint, the bobbing of his large mouth towards the ground as if to vomit. Eyes watering, one hand waving Insyte and Firaga away from the fumes, Slick tugged his shirt up to cover his mouth, breathing through the red fabric. "Rush- ack- enough! Return..."

With his free hand, Slick grabbed Rush's Poke Ball from his belt and clicked its silver metal button, causing the capsule to pop open and release a red flare of light that engulfed Rush and drew him into his Poke Ball. The Drowzee gave a throaty, hoarse laugh as the Trainer glanced towards Insyte and Firaga on the sidelines. At once, a sudden impulsive excitement filled Insyte's heart, and he ran forward to take Rush's place before Slick could utter a single word.

"Eee vee vee!" cried Insyte excitedly as he glanced up at his speechless trainer and then at the confused Drowzee a few feet off, taking no notice of Firaga's thunderstruck expression of annoyance.

"I meant to send out Firaga," muttered Slick, his green eyes flicking down towards his feet. "Yeah... oh well..." Raising his voice again for Insyte to hear, Slick pointed at the Drowzee. "Insyte! Use Tackle!" he ordered. At once, Insyte ran at the Drowzee, his fluffy white fur collar ruffling in the air as he lunged at his foe and slammed into the Pokemon with all his might.

As Insyte landed on the ground, however, he was dismayed to see that the Drowzee was only startled by his attack, at worst. The Drowzee rolled its eyes and fired a second confusion attack at Insyte, who yelped as the telekinetic attack bowled him over onto his back, sending him skidding across the ground.

"Don't give in, Insyte," encouraged Slick. "You can do it! Finish it off with another Tackle!" Insyte got to his feet at the sound of his trainer's voice and padded back towards the Drowzee, staring into its amused eyes, his body aching all over from his tumble. Other Pokemon were just so powerful and strong compared to Insyte, stronger than he might ever be. The Eevee let out a groan and prepared to run at the Drowzee again...

Suddenly, a stream of burning flames shot out from the side and engulfed the Drowzee in a blazing fire spin attack from the maw of a very unamused Firaga, his paws clenched tightly into fists as the burning Drowzee flailed its arms wildly, screaming and yelping its head off. Finally, it tripped over its own feet and hit the ground hard.

Slick stared in silence at the unconscious Pokemon, then slowly got to his feet, patting Insyte on the head. Confused, not sure what was going on, Insyte looked up to Firaga. The Charmeleon gave him a stern look as he approached the Drowzee's motionless form. "Um, Firaga?" said Insyte, smiling at Firaga tenatively while Slick ten. "Thank you! You sav-"

"Shut it, Insyte," said the Charmleon, rounding upon him again. "You shouldn't have been the one fighting the Drowzee in the first place. Slick was going to send me out, and you jumped the gun." He pointed at Insyte, then himself. "He wanted me to go out there, not you, but you had to run out there like an idiot, and you nearly screwed everything up. If you ever do that again, I'm going to claw your ears off!"


	3. A Kindled Spirit (OLD)

**Chapter 3: A Kindled Spirit**

* * *

Insyte wormed his way out from under his sleeping trainer's arm curled around him, and walked out from under the shadows of the tree branches which hung out over where Slick lay. He glanced back at his sleeping trainer and teammates who rested peacefully as he stepped back into a moonlit forest clearing, noting how Slick's arms were wrapped around his Pokemon, hugging them close to his body as they slept together.

The Eevee's eyes flicked from the flickering flame on the tip of Firaga's tail, to the steady opening and closing of GreenMachine's petals,to the newly found strength bulging within an evolved Rush's arms. Insyte sighed as he glanced at Rush, his tail flicking with disdain.

Ever since the Mudkip's evolution two weeks ago, Rush had undergone a complete and dramatic change in personality. Insyte's friend had become bolder, more aggressive, and prideful. No longer was he friendly and kind towards Insyte; Rush had taken to challenging his teammates to spontaneous contests of strength, taking up a competitive and outgoing attitude with his new body.

The Eevee sighed again, for Rush had been his only friend amongst his teammates, the only one who really stuck by him and tried to encourage him. Firaga had grown no friendlier towards Insyte since the Eevee joined the team. GreenMachine was sluggish and lazy, and treated all his teammates with equal contempt.

As for the Pikachu Slick had found in National Park... Sparktail... well, he hadn't spoken a single word to any of his teammates since his capture. The mouse avoided the others, as if he were lonely or homesick. "What does he know of loss, of being alone against the entire world?" muttered Insyte, his ears flattened against the back of his head. "What does any of them know how it feels to be alone, to be abandoned by your parents before your birth? Nothing!" With a disdainful snort, Insyte turned around and slunk off into the grass, leaving his trainer and team behind.

The Eevee wandered off through the moonlit grasses, his cream-colored collar of fur ruffling in the gentle night breeze. As he padded through the lush field, the many blades of grass brushing past his soft fur, Insyte could hear the sound of rushing water in the distance, slowly growing louder in the Eevee's ears. Glancing up at the royal blue expanse of starry evening skies far above him, he paused to flex his gradually toughening muscles, feeling a sense of warm pride in his heart at the way his training was coming along. feeling a sense of warm pride at how his training was coming along. And yet, as he looked towards the tree off in the the distance beneath which his trainer lay, Insyte reflected that not one of his teammates truly cared about him anymore.

After a few minutes of walking, Insyte pushed his way through a patch of cattails to find himself on the bank of a rushing river. He stared at the swiftly moving stream before him, the turbulent and endless gush of water flowing into view and back out of sight in the blink of an eye. The current of the river washed deep and fast before the stunned Eevee's eyes, never relenting in its journey as it swept down the riverbed towards the ocean far beyond the horizon. Insyte tenatively stepped towards the edge of the river, his attention captured by the power of the flowing current. And then, an impulsive idea suddenly arose to the surface of his mind, and he plunged a paw into the icy river, the swift waters streaming through his fur and toes. But immediately, his hind paws slipped from their hold on the riverbank as the force of the river pulled his forepaws into its current, and Insyte toppled over into the river with a horrified cry.

At once, Insyte was engulfed in a world of rushing, hurtling water, sweeping him away down its familiar path. Goldeens darted past him as they swam up the river. The Eevee's paws flailed wildly as his head burst up and out of the river and sank back down beneath the surface, gulping air and water alike as the river washed him downstream.

Suddenly, a voice cried out from the river bank, its words indiscernable in Insyte's waterlogged ears. A pair of paws grasped him by the back of his sodden fur collar and lifted him up and out of the running stream, dragging the soaked Eevee up onto the riverbank. He lay shivering and cold on his side, gasping for air and coughing up the swallowed river water, letting the water trickle out of his mouth and nose and fur and splash onto the ground.

Insyte could feel the comforting prescence of his rescuer crouching over him, a pair of warm paws resting gently on his flank as the Pokemon put its ear to his chest to listen for his breathing. Then, his anonymous rescuer stepped back from Insyte, though a warm paw remained on his tail. After a few minutes of recovering, Insyte took a deep breath and sneezed with a shiver. He opened his eyes and blinked cold droplets of water from his gaze, his fur still wet and damp from his mishap in the river.

The Eevee finally turned his gaze towards the hot, bright prescence of his rescuer to see a tan-and-dark-blue-furred animal with a long snout, perched on its hind legs as bright flames burned along its back. The Pokemon's eyes were filled with concern and worry as she gazed upon Insyte intently.

"Are you okay?" asked the Cundaquail as Insyte slowly rose to his paws, shaking the last of the water from his fur. "I saw you struggling in the river, and was barely able to pull you out!" She shifted uncomfortably, and her snout twitched. "So, um, what's your name?"

A hot wave of embarassment rose in Insyte's cheeks as he stared at the Cyndaquail. Not only was he rescued by a female Pokemon- which would be bad enough for him if the rest of the team ever found out- but this was a fire-type, a natural enemy of the river! "I... uh, I'm Insyte," said the Eevee, trying his best to sound brave to the Cyndaquail. "And... you're a girl!"

But instead of swatting him across the face, as Insyte had expected, the Cyndaquail let out a burst of cheery and joyful laughter. "Ah ha haha, of course I'm a girl, silly," laughed the Cyndaquail, her eyes filled with mirth. At the sound of the sweet and innocent laugh, Insyte relaxed, and an unconscious smile grew across his face. As the Cyndaquail's laughter slowly died away, she gazed into Insyte's eyes with a peaceful contentment. "Nice to meet you, Insyte... my name's Embyr."

"Nice to meet you too, Embyr," said Insyte, feeling the same sense of calm flowing through his body. Embyr... now that's a pretty name...

"So, um, Insyte."said Embyr, breaking into Insyte's thoughts. "You need to be careful around rivers around here. Once, an entire den of Vulpixes was killed when the river flooded!"

Insyte's eyes widened in horror at the Cyndaquail's words. "An- an entire den of Vulpixes?!" echoed the stunned Eevee.

"Yep, an entire den," said Embyr, her eyes drooping in sadness as she spoke. "The river washed out their home, and they all drowned... It was a terrible tragedy."

The two were silent for a moment, after which Embyr broke the silence once more with another question. "So, er... Insyte, what brings you here?" asked the Cyndaquail.

At once, the Eevee's smile faded as he remembered his teammates. "Um... I'm not a wild Pokemon," admitted Insyte sheepishly. "I belong to a Trainer, and I was just getting some fresh air..."

Embyr's eyes widened. "Oh my, so you're a captive Pokemon?" gasped the Cyndaquail, raising a paw to her mouth. "You poor thing..." Then Embyr's eyes lit up. "I know! I'll hide you, and you can be free!"

Insyte shook his head with a sad chuckle. "No, no, my trainer's a very nice and kind human," explained the Eevee. "It's... it's my teammates." Now his voice took on a frustrated edge. "I can't stand them! They're always picking on me, or making fun of me, or laughing at me..." Insyte looked away from Embyr, unable to bear the pity in her eyes, and stared at the river. "Some days... some days, I wonder why I was born at all," murmured the young Eevee, laying down on the bank with a heavy sigh.

Embyr opened her mouth to speak, and then closed it again, realizing just how immense Insyte's anxiety was. "Insyte... I'm sorry to hear that," said Embyr, walking forward to stand beside her new friend. "Maybe I can help."

Insyte was silent for a few seconds as he took in Embyr's words, thinking carefully, and then glanced up towards the Cyndaquail with a small smile. "It's okay," said the Eevee, gazing deep into his friend's eyes. "You've done plenty for me... thanks for pulling me out of the river."

"You're welcome," replied Embyr.

The two watched the flowing river in silence, Insyte's body blissfully warm from the fire on Embyr's back. He glanced up towards the Cyndaquail's snout, feeling more happy here than he ever had felt before in his life. What would it be like, wondered the Eevee, if he really did run away from Slick? Could he live a life without Slick, if it meant Insyte's freedom, in the end? Certainly, it would be wondrous if he were rid of Firaga for good.

And yet, underlaying that question which burned so fiercely within Insyte's mind, rested the knowledge that he could never turn his back on Slick. There might be no love for him amongst the other Pokemon, but Insyte's trainer was a friend he could never lose.

For, if Slick were gone, what could Insyte do without him?

"It's almost dawn," commented Embyr, glancing up at the sky. Insyte followed the Cyndaquail's gaze towards the faintest streaks of light shining through the heavens, the sun's rays lighting up the very edge of the night sky until the stars around it faded from his vision. "You know, Insyte," said Embyr gently, prodding the Eevee in the side. "If you want to stick with your trainer, you should probably head back to your campsite now. You don't want to make him worry."

Insyte nodded and yawned in reply, stretching out his muscles as dawn slowly broke over the skies. "I won't forget you, Embyr," said the Eevee, rising to his paws and turning around to face Embyr. "I hope I see you again one day. He smiled happily, and then padded off into the grass. "Thanks, again!"

"I'll never forget you either, Insyte," murmured Embyr softly as Insyte's footsteps faded into the distance. "I'll walk a thousand miles for you..."


	4. Slick, Strategist (OLD)

Chapter 4: Slick, Strategist

* * *

"Insyte, finish him off with another Shadow Ball," ordered Slick, pointing at the other Trainer's Haunter. The Eevee nodded and flicked his ears at the wraith, a sphere of gathering violet energy forming between his ears to streak across the makeshift battlefield to slam into the Haunter's face. "Haaaunt!" croaked the wraith as he collapsed on the ground, unconscious.

"Ugh... return, Haunter," groaned the other trainer, taking a Poke Ball from his belt to recall his Pokemon.

As the Haunter vanished into the Poke Ball, Slick knelt down and high-paw-fived Insyte. Glancing up at the other trainer with a grin, the Eevee felt a warm sense of pride filling him, from the points of his ears to the very tip of his furry tail. Slick was triumphant and victorious, thanks to him! What greater joy, thought the Eevee as his trainer stood up and shook hands with his opponent, could compare to his trainer's praise?

"Good job, Insyte," said Slick as he and his Pokemon happily continued on their way. Insyte glanced up towards his trainer as they walked, and was surprised to see warm approval glistening in the human's forest-green eyes. How long had it been since the Eevee had seen that contentment at his paws, the friendly hand of a devoted trainer scratching him behind the ears? "You know, I think it's time I evolved you," commented Slick thoughtfully, pausing in his stride and kneeling down beside Insyte to rest his chin in his palm, gazing deep into his Pokemon's eyes. "But what Pokemon...? Flareon and Leafeon are physical... Glaceon and Umbreon are defensive... Espeon, Jolteon, and Vaporeon are special..."

Flareon, the Eevee wanted to cry out. An image of the fiery warrior that was a Flareon appeared in his mind, the billowing pelt of passionate orange fur and fluffy tan, the eyes shining like obsidian as fiery winds swept at his command. Standing atop a lofty peak, the icy powers of cold-blooded cruelty melted away before the burning powers of light that he wielded-

"Hm... you did well with that Shadow Ball attack," said Slick thoughtfully, startling Insyte out of his daydream to whisk him back into reality. "Perhaps you ought to be a special fighter... but..."

No! No! Not a special fighter!

"Eh... I'll keep thinking about it," sighed Slick, shrugging as he rose to his feet. "Come on, Insyte, let's get a move on the road."

* * *

A few nights later...

Insyte watched from beneath the safety of a pine tree's branches as hisr trainer pitched his tent in the rain-drenched woods, sheets of precipitation washing down from the clouds upon the trees. The Eevee glanced over his shoulder to his teammates gathered together, to the Pikachu from National Park, to Rush and Firaga, to Shanala the Vulpix, to Blueflight the Taillow. "I wish I were a Flareon," murmured Insyte as he gazed into the rain, shivering beneath his soaked coat of fur. "If only, if only..." Somewhere out in the wilderness, Embyr was hiding from the wind and the rain, shielding the flames on her back from the downpour, waiting for night to fall and for him to come to her. Such a beautiful girl whose heart danced with the flames of love, the flames which burned... for him. The power of fire... burning bright...

"Uh... h-hi," mumbled a voice beside Insyte, interrupting his reverie. He whirled around irritably to face the sound of the speaker's voice, then relaxed as he saw the Pikachu from National Park. "Um... what's your n-name?"

"I'm Insyte," growled the Eevee with a glare, annoyed that the Pikachu had interrupted his thoughts of Embyr. "Whaddya want?"

"N-nothing, just saying hi," squeaked the Pikachu fearfully, quickly backing away from Insyte. "I'm Sparktail... I'll leave you alone now."

"Please do." The Eevee turned back around and gazed down at his paws, trying to refocus his thoughts on Embyr with a sigh. Some days, he wished he could just ditch Slick and his teammates, flee into the freedom of the wilderness with the Cyndaquil, and live in happiness with her forever. And yet... Insyte knew that he couldn't abandon his trainer. No matter how much Firaga and Rush might torment him, Slick's kindness would always draw the Eevee back from that final break.

"Say, Insyte... you're not too shabby of a fighter," commented Shanala as she padded away from the others towards the Eevee, her cheeks tinged with pink. "I saw you take out that Haunter. Pretty brave... ehe."

"Er, thanks," replied Insyte uncomfortably, glancing to the Vulpix before returning his attention to Slick. "I just did what I could... yeah."

"Hm... so... I know we haven't talked much before," admitted Shanala, her six fox tails gently swaying in the wind. "But like... I was talking to Rush, and how he, like, evolved and stuff. And I've been wondering... why Slick never evolved you or me." She paused for a moment, as if to allow Insyte to consider this question. "I mean, like, Sparktail's pretty new and stuff... but you've been on the team for a while and all."

"Yeah... actually, he said he might evolve me soon," admitted Insyte nervously. "Hopefully, he evolves you soon, too..."

"Mm, really? Because, like, you definitely deserve it," replied Shanala, her eyes lighting up as she glanced at the Eevee. "Like, you've worked really hard lately and stuff. But, yeah, I hope he like, evolves me soon too." Insyte nodded silently in agreement, and the two quietly watched Slick set the finishing touches to his tent with intertwined tails.

"Oh, Insyte," said Shanala after a few minutes. "If you could choose what evolution you would become... which one would you pick?"

"I want to be a Flareon," said Insyte immediately as he glanced sideways into the Vulpix's soft brown eyes. "I wish I had the power to light up and to burn, the strength to raise up and destroy, to illuminate hope for my allies and incinerate my foes into nothingness. I want to be... a hero."

"Ahhh... I see," said Shanala slowly, her eyes flicking down to her rich mahogany paws, her mouth open as if overwhelmed by the depth of Insyte's dream. "Well.. so... so like... we're both after a Fire Stone and all."

"Say what?" snorted a callous voice as Firaga padded towards the two with a disdainful smirk. "A FLAREON? You think Slick wants a damned third fire-type running around?"

"Hurp no, he won't," growled Rush as the Marshtomp came to stand beside Insyte, not taking his eyes from Slick to give the Eevee the slightest glance as he drew his teammates' attentions. Reaching out to twirl one of Shanala's six fox tails about his finger, the warrior continued, "With this rain and this fog over the entire region, he'll hardly want to hold onto one, boys! Shan, Firaga, you two had best start drawing straws soon!"

As a disgusted Shanala recoiled from Rush's touch, Insyte raised his eyes to meet Rush's golden gaze with a hateful stare. How he hated Firaga! How he hated Rush! How he hated them both!

As he glanced to Shanala, however, the Eevee was surprised to see that the Vulpix held just as much spite in her glare upon Firaga and Rush as he felt. "Let's go sit somewhere else, Insyte," suggested the young fox, rising to her paws to lead Insyte away from the two veterans.

* * *

In the days to follow, Insyte soon found a friend in Shanala the Firefox. They were both young Pokemon who had no knowledge of their families, who had been cast off into the wild, rescued from the untamed world of chaos by Slick. The young fox seemed to know his thoughts before they had fully formed, let alone emerged from his mouth; and over time, Insyte came to admire the Vulpix- her endurance, her faith in Slick and Insyte and herself. And with Slick's steadily intensifying training regime, the Eevee was glad to finally have a friend amongst his teammates.

"Hm, suppose you aimed an Iron Tail across the boulder instead of a square blow?"

"Hehe, Shan, that just might work... oof, my tail hurts."

One evening, as his trainer and teammates slumbered amidst the darkness of night, Insyte quietly slipped off the forest path into the bush where a young Cyndaquil waited for him, the flames on her back crackling as she sheltered from the endless rain. "Insyte," sighed the Cyndaquil happily as Insyte crawled under the shrubbery to come face-to-face with sweet and dear Embyr. "It's been so long since I saw you, darling."

"I'm sorry," whispered back the Eevee as he clambered up the exposed roots towards Embyr. "I've just been so busy lately. Slick's been training us really hard these past few days, ever since he ran into this one trainer named Mark... I don't know why, but when he lost... it was like his blood was boiling. I've never seen him ever get so angry..."

"You mean... your trainer's been working you so hard that... you couldn't even find the energy see me?" gasped Embyr, her voice ringing with alarm. At once, Insyte glanced up at the fire mouse to see the Cyndaquil clutching at her heart with a paw as her eyes filled with a burning rage, and his heart began to pound with unease. "That... that fiend! That cruel taskmaster, slave driver, tyrant, persecutor, heartless overlord! Let him be cast down from his mighty throne into the filth once tread by his boots!"

Insyte gasped in horror at Embyr's accusations against Slick, stunned as label after label of anger was hurled upon his trainer. "You can't say that," cried the Eevee as he stared at Embyr in disbelief. Was this what wild Pokemon thought of humans, as terrible captors who forced their prisoners to fight to the death? "He doesn't know about us, about you! He really wants the best for me... and I know it. I know it!" He gazed desperately at Embyr, silently begging for her to understand and forgive, to embrace him once more.

Then a flicker of doubt crossed the Cyndaquil's gaze, the rage in her eyes seeming to simmer to violet shadows as she met Insyte's eyes. "But... surely... it has nothing to do with that Vulpix, of course, right?" asked Embyr suspiciously, a faint growl at the edge of her voice. "I've seen you wandering around the woods with her quite a bit lately..."

Insyte blushed at the Cyndaquil's words, his ears twitching at the suggestion he and Shanala might have a 'thing' for each other. Whatever she might think of Slick... she was still Embyr. "Of course not, Embyr," assured the Eevee, leaning forward to nuzzle his muzzle against Embyr's. "I'll remember you, no matter what I become."

Embyr smiled sweetly as Insyte crouched low against the roots, climbing up and onto the Eevee's back. "Then let's go for a ride," chuckled the Cyndaquil as she and the Eevee slowly emerged from the brush, unaware of the stunned Vulpix gazing down upon the pair from the height of a high oak tree, glistening tears beginning to form in the young fox's eyes...


	5. Run Away (OLD)

**Chapter 5: Run Away**

* * *

"I never noticed just how tasty Cheri berries are," purred Shanala from where she sat beside Insyte near a basket piled high with berries. "I mean, they're just like... like.. they're juicy and peppery, but not too sweet or sour or bitter. Wonderful stuff."

Insyte glanced sideways at his friend to see a plump red astringent berry vanishing into the Vulpix's mouth, whose eyes angled upwards contendedly. "Mm, I like Cheri berries too, though I also like Aspear," agreed the Eevee, reaching a paw into the basket to pull out a firm yellow-skinned fruit, sinking his teeth into the berry's crisp tart flesh and allowing its juices to flow over his dry tongue. Delicious...

"Hey, Insyte, Slick's looking for you," called out Rush, lumbering across the grassy field in which Slick and his team had set up camp and towards the two. Insyte exchanged exasperated glances with Shanala as the Marshtomp beside his vulpine friend. "You might want to go now, he seemed pretty worked up," chuckled Rush as he grinned at Shanala.

"I'm going, I'm going," sighed the Eevee, rising to his paws with a groan as he turned around and hurried across the field towards his trainer who stood in the entrance of his tent, leaving Shanala and Rush alone beside the berries. As he approached Slick, however, the tension and anxiety in Insyte's veins slowly eased, his mind whirling with possibilities. The Eevee knew his trainer, knew that if Slick wanted to speak to him privately, the human was either very pleased or very annoyed with Insyte. And the fact that Slick sent Rush to call Insyte, rather than angrily storm over to his Pokemon in person, filled the Eevee with hope.

As he padded up to his trainer who sat cross-legged on the ground by the tent's entrance, the Eevee noticed a the faintest glint of light from within Slick's cupped hands. The boy wore an expression of barely contained excitement, his eyes lit up as his mouth quivered between a content grin and a joyus grin. "Insyte, Insyte," greeted Slick happily with a rather relaxed air, his eyes firmly affixed to the apprehensive Eevee before him. "Say, do you remember that day, a few weeks ago, when I said I'd see about evolving you?"

Insyte nodded slowly, his fur bristling with anxiety as he gazed at Slick and the object his trainer held.

"Look at what I bought for you, Insyte," exclaimed Slick as he opened his hands to reveal a crystal shard that shone with radiant golden light, even in the fading haze of dusk. "It's a Sun Shard. It'll turn you into an Espeon and give you psychic powers, with which you can defeat even the most powerful of warriors. You'll be amazingly destructive and we'll be able to defeat the next gym in less than a week!"

Insyte stared in disbelief at Slick and the glowing white sun shard clutched tightly in the human's hand, shaking his head slowly as he stepped away from his trainer. An Espeon? He, Insyte, as an Espeon?! How could he become an Espeon, give up all the physical training he'd poured so much effort into, and trade it for the floaty weak body of the kitty that was an Espeon? Who would see his power and strength then, and who would know how hard he'd worked to be the best that he could be, that he was not just some elusive and effetimate mystic? He wanted to be a hero, a warrior to behold! "No," breathed the Eevee as he backed away from Slick. "Not an Espeon... no! No!"

His cross-legged trainer who could not speak the tongues of Pokemon frowned in confusion, then leaned forward and reached a hand towards Insyte. "Come on, Insyte, I promise it won't hurt," assured Slick, his fingers tapping at the back of the Eevee's neck gently. "Just touch the Sun Shard, and you'll be as powerful as ever!" The trainer let out a sigh. "Look, as an Espeon, you might even help us win! Don't you want to win, Insyte?"

Insyte glanced up at Slick uncomprehendingly, staring deep into his trainer's firm gaze. These were eyes that held no gleam of amusement and no understanding, but the solidity of determination and calculation. And in that instant, the Eevee realized that his trainer was not giving him a choice. "I want to earn my victory, not manipulate my way to it," protested Insyte, knowing full well that his trainer would here nothing but a string of meows and barks. How could his trainer possibly think that he would want to be an Espeon? Didn't he understand how important honor was to Insyte? He turned around to pivot out of the human's reach and began to pad away from Slick and his tent, his tail drooping in disappointment. Slick was no more understanding than any other human after all!

"Insyte," sighed Slick as he rose to his feet, quickly striding after his Eevee with the Sun Shard in his hand. "Come on! Let's just get this done and over with. Here, boy! We've got training to do soon! Let's go!" The Eevee's eyes narrowed as he glanced over his shoulder up towards the approaching Slick and the glowing crystal fragment in the human's hand. If he became an Espeon, he would most assuredly be the laughingstock of the team forever. Wasn't it already bad enough that his teammates despised him and bullied him so? Insyte resumed his trot, now hurrying quickly away from Slick.

"Insyte! Insyte! I'm your trainer!" called Slick as he ran after Insyte, his voice now tinged with irritation and anxiety. "Listen to me! Insyte! Get back here!" Resentment at Slick began to seethe in Insyte's veins, a resentment frothing against one of the only three living beings for whom he had respect. How dare Slick try force him into ts position, into further ridicule and dishonorable power!

The Eevee broke into a sprint, pelting off through the grass towards the trees on the far side of the field, the wind rushing through his fur as it never had before. "Insyte!" yelled Slick angrily as he raced after his Pokemon. "I command you to listen to me! Get back! INSYTE!"


	6. Into Wilderness (OLD)

**Chapter 6: Into Wilderness**

* * *

"Sol, Sol, Solus," rasped Lunus, prodding his mate awake with a paw as they lay together in a quiet meadow. "Solus, you've got to wake up!"

The Espeon's eyelids flickered open to reveal two violet orbs clouded with confusion, her fur quivering as she slowly rose to her paws with a yawn. "Unnh... Stealthy? What's wrong?" murmured the lavender-furred feline as she glanced up at the Umbreon, her two-tipped tail curled gently around a sleeping infant Eevee.

"It's the Vulcanite League," said Lunus as he gazed fearfully into Solus' eyes. "They're after this child too, and they're coming this way!"

* * *

The last tinges of twilight faded into dusk high above the fleeing Eevee and the surrounding treetops, his footsprints carrying him far from Slick, Rush, and Firaga. The shroud of night descended over the wilds as bitter tears formed in Insyte's eyes, and he shook his head in disbelief. How could he possibly have believed that he and Slick understood each other, that a human and a Pokemon could know each others' thoughts? What folly he had driven himself to believe! Slick cared nothing for Insyte's dreams and aspirations, for the glory of the mighty Flareon. Of all the Eeveelutions, why had Slick decided upon an Espeon, elusive and mystical in their powers, which could crush even the bravest and most dedicated warriors without an hour of honest effort in training?

The answer to this question already lay fully fleshed in Insyte's mind, and the truth of his trainer's nature burned at his insides as his sprint gradually slowed into whimpering, mincing footsteps. Slick wanted a powerful Pokemon for his team, one with whom he could find an easy victory and an swift ascension to glory. He didn't cling to Insyte out of love, but because of his potential- the vast potential of an Eevee. Not a creature who could think thoughts and feel emotions for themselves, but a mere cog in the machine of Slick's team! How could it be that Insyte's hopes would be dashed in a single day- and not by Firaga, but Slick?

"Don't move, pup," growled a voice, startling Insyte out of his thoughts, his paws sliding to a halt in the center of a moonlit clearing. The Eevee's eyes bulged in fear as a Houndoom bounded out from the depths of the darkness towards him, his eyes glowing and flickering like embers to barely illuminate the undersides of his horns, the faintest hint of moonlight glinting off his bared fangs. Terrified, Insyte shrank away from the figure before him, from the arrowhead-tipped tail to the glistening-white paw-wrist bracers carved of bone. "You're a long, long way from your sire and mama, little one," spoke the hellhound with tightly clenched jaws, beginning to pace around Insyte in a circle. "The Ilex Forest at dead of night is no place for such a little creature as you, not when so many predators roam its depths. So young, so tender, so noticiable, so delicious, so..." The Houndoom paused to meet Insyte's fearful gaze with a fanged grin, sending chills down the Eevee's spine. "So vunerable."

"I'm n-not vunerable," cried Insyte in protest, though his paws were quaking in the mud with terror.

"You're an Eevee, a naive puppy dog who took a few too many pawstepts from home," snapped the Houndoom, suddenly shoving his muzzle into Insyte's face to send the Eevee recoiling with a shudder. "I could rip you apart in an instant."

To this, Insyte's blood began to boil, and he spat in the hellhound's face. "I'm strong!" cried out the Eevee angrily as the Houndoom's eyes bulged with barely contained outrage. "I can fight! I can FIGHT!"

The Houndoom's features quickly contorted themselves into a mask of red-hot fury, and he swatted the Eevee aside with a forceful paw. "If you did that to ANYONE else," snarled the beast as Insyte tumbled over onto his back. "They would shred you limb from limb." He padded towards Insyte, picked up the Eevee by the scruff of his neck, and effortlessly flung him back over his shoulder to send the Eevee flying into the dust. "See how composed I stand," rasped the hellhound as Insyte impacted against the ground with a pained cry. "See how easily I take you down again and again. We are creatures hardened in the dangers of the night, a testament to the survival of the fittest." He picked up Insyte by the tail and sent the Eevee tumbling head-over-tail behind him once more. "No other creature would be so merciful as I am. The night brings strength, because those who don't find strength die off."

Insyte moaned in pain as he slowly rose to his paws, his body scraped and aching from the Houndoom's roughhousing. His thoughts were jumbled and confused as he gazed weakly up towards the hellhound's eyes. "But what about... honor?"

"What honor is there in dying because of your own foolishness?" snorted the Houndoom. "Light is folly, little pup. Learn that, and learn that well."

Transfixed, Insyte gazed fearfully as the Houndoom's pelt burst into flames. "Why do you reject the shadows, young Eevee?" asked the Houndoom. "Why do you reject the natural course of things?"

"I- I'm n-n-not evil," cried Insyte. "I just want to be... strong. But... I don't want to be evil."

"Evil? Darkness is power, not evil, and I will prove it to you," hissed the Houndoom, turning around to pad off into the trees, his tail beckoning for Insyte to follow. "Who is evil, the husband who kills the men who come to abduct his family, or the husband who gives away his son's bread to a homeless man that will die in ten days?"

The Houndoom then stopped dead and whirled around to lock eyes with Insyte. "Your story," growled the canine, the fire in his pelt smouldering away. "Tell me your story..."

* * *

"Yet even being who you are, Insyte, you still try to reject the shadows," hissed the Houndoom as they continued through the woods. "Pride, greed, gluttony, wrath, lust, envy, sloth... these are but carnal desires ingrained into every living creature from birth."

"The cardinal sins," whispered Insyte as he padded after the hellhound, his fur bristling with tension. "Sin... born of a single fruit at the dawn of time..."

"Light is no more good than it is evil, and darkness is no more evil than it is good," rasped the Houndoom as they walked, though he spoke less harshly now. "I am burning flame, who brings the light who incinerates the dark; and I am the hellhound, who heralds the dark that smothers the light..."

"Pride," intoned the hellhound. "Can you deny pride, the very desire to prove yourself, your very dignity that Slick failed to recognize?" At this, Insyte blinked and glanced up at his acquaintence in surprise.

"Greed," continued the Houndoom. "What do you have against greed, the wish to take what you can, to hunt out the power you so richly deserve?" Insyte's ears twitched nervously as he took in the beast's words.

"Gluttony," said the hellhound. "Do you truly despise gluttony, the extra food in your bowl after a long day of training, the extra minutes of warm water during a bath?" The Eevee's mouth rounded into a small circle, feeling enlightened by the Houndoom's words.

"Sloth," spoke the Houndoom as they continued on. "Do you always run to your teammates, heed their every beck and call like a slave?" Insyte cocked his head sideways at the Houndoom, hanging onto his every word.

"Envy," added the hellhound. "Is it not natural to feel resentful when Slick gives Rush so much attention, and you so little?" The Eevee now nodded in agreement, for the Houndoom's words bore the weight of truth in his ears.

"Lust," rasped the Houndoom, his arrowhead tail flicking from side to side. "Can you really, in your heart, reject Embyr, or Shanala? You cannot resist them. Is it wrong to be with them?" A red gleam appeared in Insyte's eyes, the beast's words slowly taking flesh in his mind. And yet, alongside it came a flicker of confusion. Why did he bring up Shanala?

"And wrath," growled the Houndoom as he and Insyte entered another clearing. The Eevee watched as the hellhound padded into the center of the clearing now, "You feel pressure, and you feel trapped on all sides, and you feel helpless to choose your own destiny. Your teammates despise you, your trainer doesn't love you, and..." For once, the Houndoom's eyes softened as he gazed at Insyte. "I hate to break it to ya, kid, but you know as well as I do that you've got no future with Embyr. And so... you're frustrated and confused, lost and... ran away."

"I..." began Insyte as he gazed up at the Houndoom, his anxieties melting away as he suddenly saw a pair of eyes which burned not with disdain, but with sympathy. "I... I don't know what to say..."

"You're surprised that I figured you out so fast," chuckled the Houndoom, nodding. "It's not so hard to understand, really... not when that same story's been repeated a thousand times."

As the Houndoom shifted his weight from one side to another, Insyte noticed a pair of initials etched on the forehead of the hellhound's skull necklace- C.S.-, and he felt shame rising in his cheeks. "I... what do you think that... that I should do?" asked the Eevee quietly.

The Houndoom gazed up into the midnight skies, his muzzle glowing with fiery orange light. "Tonight's a fateful night," rasped the hellhound as Insyte followed his gaze towards the gleaming full moon far above the heavens. "Fire brings warmth, fire brings wrath, shadow brought by flame down the shadowed path..."

A chill ran down Insyte's spine as he gazed into the luminous moon that shone down from the sky like a great golden eye, a sphere of lunar light that held him spellbound in its lustrous glow. "Embrace the darkness, Insyte... take the revenge that is yours."

As Insyte beheld the moon in all its luminous glory, swirls of violet night flickered on the edge of his vision, lapping at the edge of the golden beacon which shone amidst a carpet of darkness. He gaped in awe as lunar light shimmered down upon the clearing, filling the air with silver mist. Distant voices echoed in his ears from the faintest corners of the world, and Insyte felt as if could just reach up with a paw and grasp hold of the rush of power pouring down from the moon.

Images began to flash before his eyes, an unending surge of adrenaline to wash away the flames that burned away his rage. He would not let insults tar him any longer- no, he would never forgive and never forget. He would let the rage build for a while, let the fury of the world seethe within him- and when he'd had enough, he'd show them what they did to him! Violet flames of destruction lapped at the edge of his vision, and the world would be his. If Slick so desperately wanted power, then he'd have power, more power than the human would ever know. But in the end, it would be Insyte who would stand high above the lands, Insyte's shadow in whom all the creatures of the earth would bow down to!

A wave of shadow swept down upon the Eevee, engulfing him flesh and soul, and he let out an excruciating scream as the darkness consumed all that he ever was. Thick jet-black fur burst from his back as moonlight etched golden rings upon his flesh, his fur collar melting away as Insyte blindly flailed about, a surge of unending power filling his veins until he was no longer Tanuki... but a creature of shadow.

As the quivering, raw Umbreon slowly rose to his paws, examining the pulsating golden rings adorning his pelt curiously, his scarlet gaze suddenly darted up to lock upon the Houndoom, startling the hellhound with their crimson glow. Before the hellhound could utter a word, Insyte bared his fangs and sprang at the Houndoom, brutally tackling him to the ground with passion burning in his gaze.

The hound's eyes bulged with fury as the Umbreon's jaws shattered the canine's skull necklace, and he shoved Insyte away as swift stars shot from the Umbreon's paw to smash into his unprotected underbelly. Snarling furiously as he leapt to his paws, the Houndoom spat a stream of flames at his attacker, who deftly darted under the blazing inferno to slam into the hellhound once more with a jarring impact.

"I show you mercy and give you power, and this is how you repay me?!" roared the Houndoom, bashing a paw at Insyte as the viciously grinning Umbreon raked painful claws across his flank. Insyte gave no reply as he sank his teeth deep into the hellhound's flesh, his mind clasped tight in a rush of passionate violence, his body fluid and brimming with strength with every blow he struck upon the Houndoom.

As the hellhound flung him away once more, he did a backflip in midair before landing neatly on his paws, and lunged at the Houndoom yet again. "I told you, I'm a survivor!" snarled the Houndoom through fiery fangs as the two ferociously lashed at each other.

"Not anymore!" hissed Insyte as he struck again, his crimson eyes flashing bright as burning rage clawed at his insides once more. "You should've killed me when you had the chance!"

Destructive jaws sank into a screaming throat, meeting in a sea of gushing blood, and the horrified dog fell away forever into the infinite darkness.


	7. Down A Shadowed Path (OLD)

**Chapter 7: Down a Shadowed Path**

_"Insyte! Insyte! Insyte! Insyte! Insyte... Insyte, Insyte! Insyte..."  
"Insyte, Insyte, come back... please... I'm sorry... come back..."  
"Where are you, Insyte? Stop... Please... don't go! Please... please..."_

* * *

Shanala gazed numbly into the flickering depths of the dying campfire, the cold breeze of the early morning air penetrating the firefox's burgandy coat as it never had before, How could the cold be so icy to her flesh, the frigid air so wintry to her warm heart? Glancing to Sparktail and Rush as they shivered on either side of her, the Vulpix raised her eyes worriedly towards Slick's empty tent, the tent flaps still drooping open to reveal an untouched sleeping bag, the camp chair set up by the tent's entrance still overturned and cold with dew droplets. On the other side of Shanala from the tent, a trail of franting shoeprints led haphazardly into the nearby woods into where Slick had pursued Insyte... and never returned.

"Did like, Slick come back and I like never noticed, or something?" asked Shanala tenatively as she glanced across the fire to Firaga, who sat in the dust discontentedly tending the feeble flames.

"I don't think so," replied the Taillow nestled between Rush and Firaga, fluttering his wings with worry. "Could be wrong, but..."

"Guess you'd've seen him if he did, Blueflight," admitted Shanala, sighing as she settled down in the dust. "I... I just can't believe that... Insyte ran off."

Another hour passed in dim silence, the flames in the fire ring slowly shrinking away into glowing embers, before the coals too faded away into gray ash.

Then as the sun peeked its faintest edge above the horizon, a teenage boy emerged from the trees, his head hunched in defeat and his face stained with mingled dust and tears, marred by dark gray circles beneath his crying eyes. "I... I couldn't... find him," croaked Slick as he stumbled through the cold morning air and the dew-saturated mud towards his Pokemon gathered around the fire ring. "I- I failed..."

-

A few hours later...

Gritting his teeth tightly as he bounded through the trees, the Umbreon approached his teammates with barely concealed disdain burning in his eyes, watching as they conversed on the edge of Slick's campsite around a blackened fire ring. As he emerged from the edge of the woods and stepped out into the cold gray morning, little Sparktail gave a terrified squeak and leapt to his paws to point at the Umbreon. At once, Firaga forcefully smacked the Pikachu for his hysteria, then froze as his eyes fell upon Insyte. With untold power burning in his veins, the darkness watched as Rush, Shanala, Firaga, Sparktail, and Blueflight one-by-one rose to their paws to stare together upon him.

"Don't you recognize me?" rasped Insyte as he gave a vicious grin to reveal his bloodstained fangs. "Why do you stare at me?" Suddenly, the false candor dropped from his voice, and his mouth twisted into a snarl. "Can't you see me?!" shouted the Umbreon with all the fury building within him. "This is what you've made me into! Can't you see me?!"

Shanala, Rush, Sparktail, and Blueflight exchanged distraught glances of confusion, but Firaga's eyes bulged with fear. As Insyte affixed Firaga with a poisonous stare, the Charmeleon whirled around and fled from the fire in terror. "Firaga!" shouted the Umbreon as he sprang after the Charmeleon who had tormented him all his life, his blood boiling with undending fury.

The Charmeleon froze in midstep as he slowly glanced towards the sound of Insyte's voice with terrified eyes. "I-Insyte," cried Firaga as Insyte barreled into him with outstretched claws and fangs, digging deep into the fiery lizard's orange flesh.

The Umbreon's bloody gaze narrowed to vicious slits of hatred upon the Charmeleon who lay on the ground before him. "Still think I'm too weak?" snarled Insyte, whirling around and bringing a vicious iron tail smashing against Firaga's forehead, sending the Charmeleon sprawling to the ground once more. "What's wrong, Firaga? Get up and fight!"

The Charmeleon's bruised face paled in fear at Insyte's words, barely noticing the trickle of blood rolling down his forehead. "What have you become?" whispered Firaga, slowly crawling back away from the Umbreon in horror. "What have I done?"

"I've become someone to be reckoned with," hissed Insyte, firing a burst of jet-black energy at Firaga, sending the Charmeleon skidding back three feet against the ground. "I'm the backlash that you've had coming for a while now... someone who won't take your crap any longer!"

"S-stop," cried a voice from behind Insyte as a terrified Sparktail bolted from the fire ring , halting the raging Umbreon in his tracks. As Firaga desperately crawled away from them, Insyte gritted his teeth furiously and slowly turned around to face the horror-stricken Shanala approaching him.

"No... no, no, no, this can't be! You... you've become an Umbreon!" whispered Shanala in horror as she padded towards Insyte, tears of pity streaming forth from the Vulpix's eyes. "Insyte... I'm so sorry! I should've spoken out more..."

Insyte gave a derisive snort. "Sorry? Sorry for what?" snickered the Umbreon, his lunar rings flashing with light. "Sorry that I've become powerful? Irreplacable? Shanala... for the first time in my life... I know who I am." His voice dropped to a whisper as he gazed endlessly upon the Vulpix. "Did you see how I struck Firaga? How quickly I brought him to his feet, drove home five years' worth of payback to that smug lizard?"

"What!?" spluttered the young vixen as she leapt back from Insyte in horror. "You mean... you mean that... you can't be saying that- that you're happy to be an Umbreon, that you rejoice in the evil you've embraced! That you... you..." Tears began to roll down her cheeks from her transfixed eyes. "You... y-you can't be serious. Insyte... what have you become?!"

"What's the matter, Shan? Can't accept me for who I am?" snarled Insyte, his crimson eyes narrowing to hateful slits as the softness in his heart quickly gave way to anger, the anger that Shanala would not listen, would not understand, would not believe. "Well, isn't that what you've been saying all along?! That you didn't care how damn weak I was, you still wanted to be my friend?!"

"I-Insyte," rumbled a low voice as Rush padded forward towards the Umbreon and the horrified Vulpix, a dull haunted expression in his golden eyes. "I... I... I never meant for this to happen," sighed the Marshtomp as Insyte turned upon him with a vicious glare. "I... just... do what you want to me. Just please... don't yell at Shanala anymore..."

"Forget you both," whispered Shanala, shaking her head in horror as she backed away from the two, her eyes swelling with tears."Just.. f-f-forg-get y-y-you b-b-oth!" With that, the Vulpix turned around and sprinted away from them.

Insyte blinked and stared in disbelief as he watched his teammates retreating from him, and hot fury lapped at the edges of his vision like steaming black tar. At long last he had the power to gain their respect, but now his teammates fled from him! His eyes narrowed to bloody slits as he stood in silent rage, the world raw and hellish before his gaze. Shanala had cared so much about him, standing beside him and defending him before Rush and Firaga always... but now even Shanala had turned upon him. They weren't worth knowing, any of them!

"I-I-Insyte!" cried Slick as he hurried towards the Umbreon, his eyes brimming with tears as Insyte slowly turned around to face his sobbing trainer. "Y-y-you're back," wept Slick as he fell to his knees before Insyte, reaching his arms forward to embrace him. "Oh, god, I'm so glad you're safe... I thought you'd never come back-"

The Umbreon felt rage gathering at his paws as he locked eyes with the human boy, whose arms were buried in his coarse black fur, the dark green eyes which leaked above a tearstained face. So many tears over a simple tool of war!

"Uuuumbra! Bree, um bre?" cried Insyte, staring woefully up into Slick's eyes. Why, Slick? Why didn't you love me?

His heartbeat thrashing resoundingly in his ears, the Umbreon wrenched himself from the horrified Slick's gentle hold and padded away, the salty tang of the Houndoom's thickest lifeblood still lingering on his teeth.


End file.
